Lullaby for a stormy night
by Music of the wind
Summary: Willow and Tara have a three year old daughter named Amy. She is afraid of thunderstorms. While comforting their child both witches learn a lot of each other and life.


Lullaby for a stormy night

_Little child be not afraid. Though rain pounds harsh against the glass, like an unwanted stranger there is no danger; I am here tonight. Little child be not afraid. The thunder explodes and lightening flash; illuminates your tear-stained face._

Willow sat in bed with several blankets wrapped around her and Tara. Their three year old daughter Amy was in her bed asleep. Tara whispered. "It's cold in here. Maybe I should go get Amy another blanket. Plus, there is a storm coming. I should go shut the windows."

Willow put her arm around her wife. "Tara, I'm sure Amy is fine. As for the windows I already closed them. Now stay with me. I need to be snuggled."

Tara smiled at her wife. "Now, how can I deny you when you look at me that way? Slide over. Amy didn't want to go to bed tonight. I had to read her four stories before she even let me shut the light off. She's not like that normally."

Willow kissed her wife's cheek. "I'm sure its nothing. Little kids can be funny like that. Sometimes they like to see how much they can get away with. We need to be firm with her…."

Willow didn't get to finish because she and Tara both heard the sound of their daughter whimpering and calling out for them. The two of them entered the bedroom just as another flash of lightning split the sky. Willow switched on the light while Tara went over and pulled the sobbing child into her lap.

Tara rubbed soothing circles on her daughter's back and murmured, "Shh… what's scaring my little angel? Momma's here. Momma Tara's here."

Amy buried her face in the blonde witch's shoulder and sobbed. "The sky is angry, momma Tara. Don't let it hurt me. Don't let it get me."

Willow came over to the bed and put her arm around both of them "Amy, mommy Tara and I would never let anything or anyone hurt you. Would it help if I close the shades? This way you don't have to see the lightning."

Amy nodded, but then she sniffled. "I'm more afraid of the thunder. It sounds like a wild animal is trying to get in."

Tara kissed her daughter's forehead. "If I sing to you could you go to sleep?"

Amy nodded. "I could try. Can I sit in your lap, mommy Willow?"

Willow picked her daughter up and wrapped her in a warm quilt. Then Tara softly began to sing "Midnight moonlight shining through the curtain lace, paints a perfect picture of your perfect face. One sweet angel sleeping in my arms you are the promise I knew God would keep. You are the gift that makes my world complete. You'll never know how much I love you. I'll keep on telling you my whole life through. I believe in miracles and you are the reason why. Dream on while I sing you my angels lullaby. You'll never know how much I love you. I'll keep on telling you my whole life through. I believe in miracles and you're the reason why. Dream on while I sing you my angels lullaby."

Willow smiled at Tara. "How did you know that would get her to sleep? She was so scared. I thought she'd be awake for at least a few hours."

Tara blushed. "My mom used to sing that song to me. It always made me feel safe. Knowing she was there. It didn't matter what my dad thought of me. It didn't matter what my brother thought. All that mattered was me and her. I loved her so much. I still miss her."

Willow started to get up when another crash of thunder shook the house. Amy woke up with a start sobbing uncontrollably. Tara put her hand to her daughter's cheek. "Baby, you have nothing to be scared of. Mommy Willow and I are here. You want a story?"

Amy nodded and Willow grabbed a book. The three of them squished together on the twin bed. After Tara had finished the story she laughed when she saw that Willow had fallen asleep. Amy was still awake with her head on Willow's chest.

_Someday you'll know that nature is so. The same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and lands. Forests and sands and makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning. Little child be not afraid though storm clouds mask your beloved moon. Its candle light beams still keep pleasant dreams. I am here tonight._

Tara soothed her daughter's hair out of her face and then asked, "Baby, do you remember that day Aunt Buffy took you to walk down the boardwalk? There were all of those pretty flowers everywhere and then later we all met up and had a picnic. What do you think made all of those pretty flowers grow?"

Amy smiled. "I don't mind rain when it's soft and gentle. I just don't like thunderstorms. Look, Momma Tara. Mommy Willow fell asleep. She must be real tired."

Tara kissed her daughter's cheek "Aren't you tired, baby? It's way passed your bedtime. The flowers need nights like this to grow tall and beautiful."

Amy yawned. "I am tired, momma Tara. I'm just too afraid to go to sleep. The moon isn't even out tonight. The moon keeps my nightmares away. It protects me when you and mommy Willow aren't here."

Tara rolled the shade up slowly. "Look closer, baby. The mom beams are still shining. They look like tiny candles. Mommy Willow and I will be right here. Try to go to sleep. Just close your eyes baby girl. You don't have to be afraid. I love you."

_You know once even I was a little child and I was afraid. A gentle someone always came to dry all my tears. They'd trade sweet sleep for fears and give a kiss goodnight. Now I am grown. These years have shown that rain is a part of how life goes. It's dark and it's late. So I'll hold you and wait until your frightened eyes do close. Everything's fine in the morning. The rain will be gone in the morning. You'll still be here in the morning._

A little while later the storm had started to die down a little and Amy had begun to relax. Tara kissed her daughter's head. "You know what, Amy? I was afraid of storms when I was little. The thunder would crash and I would start to cry. Then my mom would pick me up and wrap her arms around me. She was like this big golden circle of light that made me feel so safe. Nothing could ever harm me in her embrace."

Amy smiled at Tara. "How did you stop being afraid? I don't want to be afraid no more."

Tara hugged her daughter. "I got older. Saw that the storms never last forever. I also realized that rain is a part of life. Life is all about beauty and pain. You can't have one without the other. Now it really is time for bed."

Amy closed her eyes and breathed into her mother's neck. "I love you, momma Tara. Will you and Mommy Willow still be here in the morning?"

Tara smiled and pulled the blankets up to her daughter's chin again. Then she said "I'll be right back, baby."

When Tara came back she grabbed two extra quilts and a pillow. Then she wrapped one of the blankets around Willow and then pulled the other one around herself. "All three of us are going to be here in the morning. Everything will be fine, you'll see. In the morning the storm will be over and the sun with come out."

Amy started to reply but she fell into a peaceful sleep in between both of her mommies. She felt like the safest girl in the world.


End file.
